Quick techniques

Different relaxation techniques appeal to different people. Please try out each technique and rate it out of 10, then choose the one(s) that suit you best.

Score Whole body tension out of 10 • Tense everything in your whole body, stay with that tension. • Hold it as long as you can without feeling . • Slowly release the tension and very gradually feel it leave your body. • Repeat three times. Score Imagine air as a cloud out of 10 • Open your imagination and focus on your breathing. • As your breathing becomes calm and regular, imagine that the air comes to you as a cloud. • It fills you and goes out. • You may imagine the cloud to be a particular colour Score Pick a spot out of 10 • With your head level and body relaxed, pick a spot to focus on (eyes open point). • When ready, count five breaths backward. With each breath allow your eyes to close gradually. • Concentrate on each breath • When you get to one, your eyes will be closed. Focus on the feelings of relaxation. Counting ten breaths back Score out of 10 • Allow yourself to feel passive and indifferent, counting each breath slowly from 10 to one. • With each count, allow yourself to feel heavier and more relaxed. • With each exhale, allow the tension to leave your body. Score Transformations: pick one that works or make up your own out of 10 When you think of images like.... Imagine.... Tightly twisted ropes The twisted ropes untwisting Feel of cold, harsh wind The cold wind becoming warm and soft Hard, cold wax The wax softens and melts Tense, red muscles The red muscles soften or lighten to pink Affirmations: pick one that works or make up your own Score out of 10 When you think of images like.... This discomfort will pass, let it go... Let the tension flow away…. I have the power to handle this... I am calm and relaxed and ready for anything... Relax the jaw, lower the shoulders....

Keeping health in mind GP notes quick relaxation

Background notes for prescribers

Relaxation has been described as ‘a state of consciousness characterised by feelings of peace and release from tension, and fear’. The term is usually taken to mean either lack of muscle tension or lack of inner ‘mental tension’. Early relaxation techniques often involved progressive muscle relaxation with attention to breathing, such as Jacobsen’s progressive relaxation, first described in the late 1930s. It is now recognised that there is a myriad of techniques to suit different personality types and problems. Some people also encounter problems with ‘letting go’ and can become panicky when they try and relax. This needs to be discussed and a different type of relaxation technique considered. It is helpful to find out what happens to the individual when they are tense: • How does he/she know they are tense?

• What happens first? What next?

• What helps? What doesn’t?

• Have they had problems with previous attempts at relaxation?

It is also helpful to know the individual’s style. Do they like to picture things? Read things? Listen to things? Do something?

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Keeping health in mind